Portable platform and the like



Mmh 31. 1925. 1,531,371

- F. W. BELKNAP EORTABLE PLATFORM AND THE LIKE Filed April 18, 1923 5Sheets-Sheet 1 F c;q.1 7 7 INKEIWWI? mm/usmm/rm ATTORNEYS March 31.1925.

F. W. BELKNAP PORTABLE PLATFORM AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledApril 1 1925 INVENTOR.

r/m/vc/s n! BfL/f/V/IP A TTORNEYS March 31, 1925. 1,531,371

7 F. w. BELKNAP .FORTABLE PLATFORM AND THE LIKE File April 18, 1923 3Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNlTED STATES FRANCIS W. BE KNAP, OF FLUSEZll-IG, NEW? YORK.

PORTABLE FLATFORLI AND THE LIKE.

Application filed April 18, 1923.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, FRANCIS W. Bnnnnar, acitizen of the United States, residing at Flushing, in the county ofQueens and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Portable Platforms and the like, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

In construction work over bodies of waier 'ect to waves, itis verydifiicult to work lrom floating platforms for various reasons, such asbecause of the motion of the platforn'i by the waves and the driftthereof with the waves. Where platforms have been supported by postsupon the ground beneath the body of water, the moving of the platform todifferent working locations has been slow and expensive.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved platform, derrickor the like for use over bodies of water, which may be s ipported tirmland in a level position upon the ground beneath the wa er, even thoughthe ground surface may be uneven, which will offer little or noresistance to waves striking the same, which may be rapidlyandinexpensively shifted into different working locations, and which isrelatively simple and inexoensive in construction.

(Ether objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription of odiinent of the invention, and the novel cures will beparticularly pointed out hereinafter in claim.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a platform device constructed inaccordance with the invention 5 Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the same,taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan of the same taken substantially along theline 33 of Figure 1, with one of the buoyant devices attached thereto;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the same with the buoyant devices attachedthereto;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a portion of a tank which may be utilized asone of the buoyant devices; and

Fig. 6 is a. fragmentary section through the tank, taken substantiallyalong the line (5-6 of Figure In the illustrated embodiment of theinvention, a working platform structure 1 provided upon the upper faceof a suitable Serial No. 833,936.

frame 2 which may be reinforced in' any suitable manner such as bystructural bracing The frame, at each corner, is pro vided withvertically extending guideways at, in each of which is verticallyslidable a supporting post 5. The posts 5 are slidable in the frameindependently of one another.

A pulley block 6 is secured to the platform structure of the frameadjacent each post 5, and. another pulley block 7 is secured to eachpost adjacent the upper end thereof. A cable 8 is secured to the pulleyblock 7, extends around a pulley of the block 6, then over a pulley ofthe block 7, then around another pulley of the block 6', then aroundanother pulley of the block 7, then downwardly toward the platforn andaround the drum 9 of a suitable winch 10 which is mounted upon the frameor platform adjacent each post. lVhen the winch is operated, the blockand tackle device, which is provided by the cable 8' and the pulleyblocks 6 and 7, will be operated thereby so that when the cable is woundupon the winch drum the platform and frame will be elevated relativelyto the posts 5, and wnen the cable is unwound from the drum of eachwinch the frame and platform will be lowered upon the posts. Because ofthe separate elevating and lowering device between each post and the 13latforn1 or frame, the lower ends of the posts may rest firmly uponuneven ground beneath the body of water over which the frame isdisposed, with the frame and platform in a level po siti on in each newworking location in which the device may be placed. Each post may beadjusted vertically from time to time, to take care of unequalsettlement of the posts.

A pair of buoyant devices which may be closed tanks, are provided upontheir periphery with eyes 12, by means of which they ay be attached inany suitable manner to anchoring elements 13 that are provided for thispurpose adjacent to or upon the lower edge of the frame, so that whenthe frame is lowered from the posts the tanks Will floatingly support itby reason of their buoyancy. The posts may then be individually drawnupwardly in any suitable manner, such as by cables 14, so as to beremoved entirely from contact with the ground beneath the body of water,and in this con dition the frame may be floated into a new working 1.tion. In the new location, the posts will be allowed to drop intocontact with the ground beneath the body of water, and the winches willbe operated to elevate the frame usually entirely above the highestwater level or waves likely to be encountered until it is entirelysupported from the posts in a level position.

The tanks may, if desired, be allowed to remain attached to the frame,or may be collapsible so that when not in use they will offer littleresistance to heavy seas or wind, but to avoid the buffeting action ofwaves thereon, it is preferable to detach the tanks or buoyant devicesfrom the frame and remove them to a suitable place for safe keepinguntil it is desired to move the platform or derrick to a new Workinglocation. The framework is preferably open on all of its sides, exceptfor the bracing, so as to allow the passage through the same of anyunusually high waves which may strike it, and with such a constructionthe frame will offer little or no resistance to the waves and wind, andthe platform will remain in a substantially firm and stable position.

In the use of the platform or derrick it is assembled in the mannerillustrated, and with thetanks attached thereto it may be floated into aworking location and the frame elevated upon the posts 5 until it isentirely supported by the posts. The tanks may then be detached andstored in a safe place until the platform or derrick is to be moved to anew location. hen it is to be moved the tanks are reattached to theframe, as indicated in Figures 3 and 4, and the winches are operated tolower the frame until the tanks support the frame entirely by theirbuoyancy. The cables 14 may then be pulled to elevate the posts out ofcontact with the ground, and the platform or derrick may then be towedor floated to a new working location. In this new location the winchesare operated to elevate the frame -upon the posts until the frame isentirely supported by the posts, afterwhich the tanks may again beremoved and stored until the platform or derrick is to be again moved.

It will be obvious that with a platform or derrick constructed inaccordance with this invention, any suitable working mechanism, such asbooms, pile driving mechanism or any other suitable apparatus, may becarried by the platform. While in a working position the platform willbe firmly sup ported so that its action will be substantially unaffectedby any waves. lVhen it is tobe moved to a new location, it may bequickly and inexpensively floated into the new working position andreestablished in a firm position. The device is exceptionally simple andinexpensive in construction. It will be obvious that various changes inthe details and arrangements of parts, herein described and illustratedfor the purpose of explaining the nature of the invention, may be madeby those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of theinvention as expressed in the appended claim.

I claim:

In portable platforms, derricks, and the I like, for use over bodies ofwater, a frame, a plurality of supporting 3osts movable verticallyrelatively to the rame, and means acting between the frame and posts forelevating or lowering the frame relatively to FRANCIS W. BELKNAP.

